As long as it's being done with CRK approval, I think it's a reasonable alternative. A trade off of CRK name for economic practicality.
The New Schrade Extreme Survival
- Thread starter Mistwalker
- Start date
So far haven't been able to find any statements released by CRK about it at all. Maybe I should write them and ask. However since this design is almost twenty five years old patents have likely run out so I don't know if it would even do any good legaly for CRK to have an opinion on it either way. I think Schrade waited a lot longer to copy this knife than say Explorer copying the Buck Master..., though I think in that case Buck did win their suit and forced the Explorer knife off the U.S. market...., no big loss as the Explorer version was a piece of crap...learned that one the hard way, can't say about the Buck as the Explorer version scared me out of trying it and now the price of used ones get outrageous.
The Schrade that was and the Schrade that is are not the same company. The latest "Schrade" is relatively new so the wait has not been so long.
Well...just to see where things stand I called Chris Reeve Knives a few minutes ago. From what I gather from the receptionist they are not too concerned with Schrade's production of a similar knife as there is nothing illegal about producing a knife similar to someone else's it happens all the time, and since they are often just cheap knock-offs and pieces of crap (which by the way I do not think this one is) it often has the effect of illustrating the quality of the original. Schrade does make it obvious that it is not a Chris Reeve knife by proudly displaying the Schrade name in big bold letters, and they changed the handle design enough that any true Chris Reeve fan or collector will note the differences. Though she was a bit guarded about exactly what she said and chose her words carefully... I got the feeling they were somewhat flattered by it and not threatened by it at all. However I did learn that there are some knives out there that look identical to the Chris Reeve knives that bear a false Chris Reeve logo and they do have a major problem with that of course and have people looking into it.
In all of this not once have I said this knife is equal in quality to the Chris Reeve knife. I'm pretty sure that it is not made of A-2 tool steel (all the Schrade site says is "hi-carbon steel") as are the CRK's, and I know that it is produced in the R.O.C. which has not historically been known for the production of high quality blades...in fact, I think, quite the opposite. What I have said is that the lines are good...other than the serrations are a little flawed (something that will likely never happen with a C.R.), it is not sloppily made, the machining is very well executed with plenty of meat left where the blade meets the handle, it feels good and solid and after whittling some points, chopping down some dead limbs, hacking through some hardwood limbs bigger than my wrist or more than 10 cm in diameter, being used as a pry bar to pry apart sections of a fatwood stump, and hacking on some very dense fatwood for a bit it still has it's original shape and it still shaves. This in and of it's self hasn't impressed me as I have done the same thing more times than I can remember as well as some pretty serious batoning with a couple of Ka-Bar designs, my issue survival knife, and my SOG bowie, with no ill effects on them at all and them still shave afterward. However I have also performed the same tests with an Ontario SP-6 that did show signs of wear immediately afterward, had a bent tip, and would hardly shave, and other import knives that utterly failed. What I have said is that it is based on a proven design, that it has held up very well so far and is by far not the worst knife I've ever bought as I have paid more for domestic knives that didn't hold up this well, and that it is quite likely worth the asking price.
In all of this not once have I said this knife is equal in quality to the Chris Reeve knife. I'm pretty sure that it is not made of A-2 tool steel (all the Schrade site says is "hi-carbon steel") as are the CRK's, and I know that it is produced in the R.O.C. which has not historically been known for the production of high quality blades...in fact, I think, quite the opposite. What I have said is that the lines are good...other than the serrations are a little flawed (something that will likely never happen with a C.R.), it is not sloppily made, the machining is very well executed with plenty of meat left where the blade meets the handle, it feels good and solid and after whittling some points, chopping down some dead limbs, hacking through some hardwood limbs bigger than my wrist or more than 10 cm in diameter, being used as a pry bar to pry apart sections of a fatwood stump, and hacking on some very dense fatwood for a bit it still has it's original shape and it still shaves. This in and of it's self hasn't impressed me as I have done the same thing more times than I can remember as well as some pretty serious batoning with a couple of Ka-Bar designs, my issue survival knife, and my SOG bowie, with no ill effects on them at all and them still shave afterward. However I have also performed the same tests with an Ontario SP-6 that did show signs of wear immediately afterward, had a bent tip, and would hardly shave, and other import knives that utterly failed. What I have said is that it is based on a proven design, that it has held up very well so far and is by far not the worst knife I've ever bought as I have paid more for domestic knives that didn't hold up this well, and that it is quite likely worth the asking price.
Had a few minutes to kill waiting for the misses to get ready to go to the Aquarium today sooooo.... so far so good. A little more chopping of hardwood limbs and a little beating and batoning with and of the same hardwodd limbs and it's still holding shape...still shaves, however the winds blew the hair before I gould get it on film will try again later lol.
Yes it does and it fits quite snug though I've just now started the water proof tests. I cropped these pics down so you could see the O ring better, you can also see better how the serrations are a bit over-sharpened.
Started the environmental tests today. I put a light coat of mineral oil on the o ring to help it seat without sticking and kinking, then left the handle submerged in a glass of water for a couple of hours with one strike-any-where match in the handle head against the cap. Then took the match out to light it on the knurling on the handle. The match was dry, and there was no water at all in the handle however the match didn't ignight...it did spark and flare a bit but I think the matches are just old as it took three or four tries with ones that weren't in the handle to get one to light so....I have ordered some lifboat matches as I have been saying I was going to for a year now. Will try this test again in a few days....in the day light, and try other things till then.
In the water
Inside the handle
The lifeboat matches I've orderd
In the water
Inside the handle
The lifeboat matches I've orderd
Mistwalker , Thanks for clarifying the 'o' ring situation, currently using works computer which has restrictions and I work nights which = stupidity.
Do Schrade make any smaller Chris Reeves knives ? Love to own a replica but i think that blade length may be a tad to long, so do they to your knowledge produce any more of the range???
Cheersa again and excellent review.
Do Schrade make any smaller Chris Reeves knives ? Love to own a replica but i think that blade length may be a tad to long, so do they to your knowledge produce any more of the range???
Cheersa again and excellent review.
Mistwalker , Many thanks for answering all the questions so far.
In terms of the blade length do you feel it is balanced? Not overly long for general bushcraft chores?
I have looked at the photo's now and in some it looks well balanced and in others it seems overly long in the blade? What do you feel/think?
I have made a 'mock-up' to the same dimensions and am still having trouble deciding...
In terms of the blade length do you feel it is balanced? Not overly long for general bushcraft chores?
I have looked at the photo's now and in some it looks well balanced and in others it seems overly long in the blade? What do you feel/think?
I have made a 'mock-up' to the same dimensions and am still having trouble deciding...
Maybe I am paranoid, but I worry about storing matches in a sealed metal handle that may be subject to a lot of movement/jolting.
I did it with a Chris Reeve Aviator and one day realised I had replicated the bombs I enjoyed making in (foolish) childhood (matchheads and sealed metal cylinders...)
I wouldn't want to be holding the knife if one of the matches lit (followed by its bedfellow!)
Great review, by the way. Thanks.
I did it with a Chris Reeve Aviator and one day realised I had replicated the bombs I enjoyed making in (foolish) childhood (matchheads and sealed metal cylinders...)
I wouldn't want to be holding the knife if one of the matches lit (followed by its bedfellow!)
Great review, by the way. Thanks.
As for balance I think it is perfectly balanced when minus the tool kit, however it does have a long blade...hence it making a decent chopping knife. A knife with the same handle but a shorter blade would be somewhat handle heavy.
As for the bushcraft question.....As bushcraft is typically defined as an intentional, usually short term and controlled trip into a known environment...it's quite probably a bit large. With several pieces of task specific gear along, such as an axe or hatchet I'd definitely prefer to have a smaller blade on my hip. I'll ask and see if they are going to re-make the old "Woodsman" model Schrade, during my hunting and trapping days as a kid that's what I carried and it was a great bushcraft and hunting knife. However as a contengency blade to handle multiple tasks such as hacking, and chopping, cutting to quickly make shelter of fire, digging, and employed as a defensive weapon or made into a spear, and to have a water proof compartment for a small kit this design definitely fits the bill, and if you have a folder along you're in better shape than some have found themselves. What I'm trying to learn is whether the execution buy Schrade is as good as the design, and the name imply
I would never use such a handle as a match case alone, just like to have a couple of strike anywheres along packed in among some other things. A match is a good test of watertightness though.
Here are some pics I took earlier tonight when I put on a pot of soup. Sorry I got distracted by my three-year-old and forgot I was taking pictures for a reason so I didn't take the pics of slicing the tomatoes, mushrooms or dicing the meat but I managed the whole pot of soup using only this knife as a cutting tool. While it is a bit unwieldy in this role....it managed, and I would much rather make a pot of soup with a knife this size than to cut shelter poles with a knife with a three or four inch blade.
Hell...it's been soup for six hours...what's taking you so long lol.
Got lost in the land of Cruzan Rum and Coke
Got lost in the land of Cruzan Rum and Coke
Understood...best not to fly under those conditions lol.
